Androgenic manifestations coexisting with hilus cell hyperplasia adjacent to a tumour or an ovarian cyst are extremely rare. We report the case of a post-menopausal woman with hirsutism associated with hilus cell hyperplasia within the wall of an ovarian cyst. The pattern of steroid secretion revealed increased testosterone release. Suppression of testosterone to 'normal range' was seen in response to leuprolide administration. This new approach demonstrates gonadotrophin dependence of hilus cell hyperplasia within an ovarian cyst.